Self-propelling motor



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.. H. O. HICKS.

SELF PROPELLING MOTOR. No. 405,553. Patented June 18 1889 Wwgssses;

Nv PETERS, Phnloiflhogmphor. Washin ton. D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. G. HICKS.

SELF PROPELLING MOTOR. No. 405,553. Patented June 18, 1889.

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1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CLINTON HICKS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SELF-PROPELLING MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,553, dated June 18,1889.

Application filed March 8, 1389. Serial No. 302,410. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY CLINTON lIrcKs, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of I-Iennepin and Stateof Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSelf-Propelling Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-propelling vehicles or motors; and itconsists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter shown and described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings,Figure 1 isasectional side elevation on the line so itof Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus complete. Fig. 3is an enlarged cross-sectional view, and Fig. 4 is an enlargedsemi-sectional side view of the pushenbar operating'mechanism.

The frame of the machine consists of a series of two or more parallelplates or bars A, connected by frames A or other suitable means, andmounted on wheels B B The bars A are provided with guides l),in whichthe ends of cross-heads E are adapted to work. Piston-rods E areconnected by one end to the cross-heads, and also by their other ends topiston-heads in cylinders E the latter attached to the frames A, asshown. As many of the cylinders, with their piston-rods and cross-heads,may be employed as required, although four of each set will generally bethe minimum.

Pivoted to each of the cross-heads E is a pusher-arrn F, adapted toextend backward and downward, and with the free end of each 'armprovided with a pointed or other shaped shoe F by which the free ends ofthe pusher-arms will grip the ground when drawn back by the piston-rodsand force the vehicle forward upon its wheels or other supports.

The forward wheel 13 is mounted upon a swivel-frame A connected to theforward cross-frame A or some other part of the main frame, so that themachine may be guided in any desired direction by turning a hand-levera.

The swivel-frame A may be constructed to be revolved in any suitablemanner, either by a hand-lever a, as shown, or by being connected tosome part of the mechanism for operating the pushbars;:but:for thepurpose of illustration I have shown a simple hand-lever connected tothe swivel-frame for operating the steering-wheels.

The shoes F will be formed with their points I) trending backward, sothat when pushed against the ground they will engage therewith and notslip, the backward trend of the teeth also enabling them to drag easilyforward over the ground at the return-stroke of the piston.

I have not attempted to show the valve mechanism connected with thecylinders E or other parts, as they form no necessary part of thepresent invention, and their construction is so well known.

Any well-known form of valve construction and any form of generator maybe employed in connection with the cylinders; but for the purpose ofillustration I have shown in Fig. 2 a generator G, mounted upon theframe A, which will be the means ordinarily employed to supply thecylinders with steam.

An apparatus constructed as thus far described would be a complete andoperative machine; but in order to render its operation still morecomplete and perfect I arrange in each of the frames A a cam-groove H Hin which the ends of the arch-shaped frame F runs, the ends (1 of theframe M, which run in the grooves H H being usually provided withanti-frictionrollers to reduce the friction.

Two or more rods M are arranged to connect a cross-plate M embracing thelower part of the arch-frame h with the cross-head E, while similar rodsM" connect the upper part of the arch-frame with the rods M near thecross-head; or, if preferred, the rods M may be connected directly tothe cross-head in the same manner as the rods M The rods M and M arestill further connected by a bent rod M, which performs the doublefunctions of a brace to the rods and also a stop, to be acted upon by aspring'trip to throw the frame M and its attachments positively downwardinto the grooves H H at the ends of the return-stroke, the action ofthis trip to be hereinafter described.

Pivotally connected by their upper and lower ends to the central part ofthe push-levers F and the cross-plate M on the archframe M are twojointed rods N N the joint in the rods having back-stops 6, so that theywill operate only in one direction, as shown.

Pivoted at g to the frame M in line with the upper pivots of the jointedbars N N is a rod or lever N the part below the pivot 9 being forked orbranched, each branch being pivoted to the pivots e of the joints in therods, while the part above the pivot g is carried upward alongside thearched frame M and supported thereon by a hooked catch 9 The object offorming the lever N in abifurcated or forked shape is threefold: Tosecure a stronger form of lever, to enable it to be con nected to bothof the bars N N with only one portion to operate at y and, lastly, toenable the bars N N and lever N to pass be yond the stuffing-box ends ofthe cylinders E for a short distance at the backward stroke, so that themachine may be made shorter than if the entire mechanism were at alltimes between the cylinders and the front of. the machine. By this meansso long as the lever N is held by the hooked catch g the jointed bars NN will be held rigidly, as in Fig. 1, and cause the push-bars 1 to riseand fall with the arched frame M; but when it is de sired to elevate thepush-bars at any part of the stroke between the ends of the cam-groove,it can be easily done by releasing the lever N from the catch anddrawing it away from the arch-frame, which will cause the bars N N 2tobend at the joints c 6 and thus elevate the push-bars.

Springs M are arranged upon the sides of the arch-frame M, between thecross-plate M and the upper part of the arch-frame, to receive theupward strains upon the push-bars, and serve as cushions thereto, sothat the strains to which the push-bars are subjected will be firstimparted to the springs and thence gradually imparted to the frame ofthe machine. Another advantage gained by the use of the springs M isthat any side movement of the push-arms will also cause the springs tobe compressed, and thus relieve the frame and other part from undue sidestrains.

The rear end H of the lower channel ll of the can1-grooves will beprovided wi th springswitches 11, adapted to permit the rollers on theends d of the arch-frame ll to freelypass when the push-arms are movedbackward, and will cause the ends to run up into the up per section H ofthe cam-groove when the push-arms are drawn backward, and thus, throughthe connecting-rods, raise the free ends of the push-arms from theground and carry them backward in. an elevated position until the ends ddrop down into the lower section of the ca1n-groove, as before. Thus thebackward movement of the crossheads will cause the push-arms to becompressed upon the ground and push the vehicle forward, while at thereturn movement of the crossheads the free end of the push-arms will beelevated and carried in that position to the starting-point. Thus theshoes will not be permitted to drag upon the ground at thereturn-strokeof the push-arms. The pusharms will be arranged to beoperated alternately, one or more of the arms being in operation all thetime, so that the motion of the vehicle will be continuous anduninterrupted.

The pointed shoes F may be arranged to be displaced or covered bybroad-surfaced fiat plates when the machine is to be operated on soft orwet soil. This form of construction may also be employed to advantage inpropelling vessels, either in canals or shallow streams, where the freeends of the push-arms can run in contact with the ground, or in deeperwater by attaching paddles to the ends of the push-arms, the frames Abeing in that case mounted upon or forming part of the boat.

Journaled in standards P across the forward end of each pair of theframes A is a shaft or bar P each carrying a small hangerframe P throughwhich a rod P is journaled, and held thereby at an angle to the line ofmovement of the cross-head E and horizontal portions of the grooves H HThe lower or inner ends of these rods P are enlarged and formed withconcave surfaces h, and each rod will be provided with a brace-rod Ppivoted at one end to the lower end of the rod P and passing looselythrough the lower part of the hanger P as shown. Each of the rods P issurrounded by a spring P, which keeps the rods P and P pressed downwardand backward, the rod P being provided with a stop P on its upper end tokeep it from being forced out of the hanger P.

P is a spring connected to the shaft P to hold the latter in theposition shown and return it to that position when released. The

function of the rod P is to throw the ends d l of the arch frame Mdownward into the groove H at the end of the return-stroke and insureacertainty of action. When the crosshead E is making its return-strokewith the ends cl of the arch-frame M in the upper portion H of thecam-grooves, the cross-brace M will strike the concave end h of the rod15" and compress the springs P this action causing the rods P P tooscillate the shaft P by reason of the concave end it of the rod P beingbelow its center, and thereby causing the springs to exert a downwardpressure upon the arch-fraine and cause it to move downward withcertainty into the lower portion of the grooves H When the next strokeof the cross-head begins, the cross-brace M will be released from therod P and permit the spring P to return it to its normal position readyfor the next stroke.

A great advantage arises from arranging the cylinders, cross-heads, andpush-arms so that the piston-rods are pulling the crossheads andpush-bars toward the cylinders when they are subjected to' the greateststrains, as a much smaller piston-rod can thereby be employed and nodanger exists of buckling the piston-rod, as there would be if therelative positions were reversed.

A great advantage also arises from arranging the push-rods so that eachhas its own independent cylinders and cross-head, as a more directaction is thereby secured and less liability of disarran gement byunequal strains between the parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a selfpropelling motor, a frame mounted upon bearing-wheels or other supportsand provided with guides D, one or more cylinders E borne by said frameand having piston-rods connected to cross-heads with their ends runningin said guides, push-arms F, pivoted by one end in said cross-heads andfree to run upon the ground by their other ends, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a self propelling motor, a frame mounted upon bearing-wheels orother supports and supporting one or more cylinders E having piston odsand cross-heads, the latter working in guides D in said frame, pusharmF, journaled by one end in said crossheads, cam groove H H havingspringsWitch H formed in said frame, arch-frame M, with its ends runningin said cam-grooves and connected by rods N N to said push-arm and bybraces M M to said cross-head, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a self propelling motor, a frame mounted upon bearing-wheels orother supports and supporting one or more cylinders E having piston-rodsand cross-heads, the latter working in guides D in said frame, pusharmF, journaled by one end in said crossheads, cam groove 11 H havingspringswitch H formed in said frame, arch-frame M ,with its ends runningin said cam-groove, cross-plate F embracing the sides of said arch-frameand actuated by spring M rods N N connecting said cross-plates to saidpush-arm, and braces M M connecting said arch-frame to said cross-heads,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. 111 a self propelling motor, a frame mounted upon bearing-wheels orother supports and supporting one or more cylinders E having piston-rodsand cross-heads, the latter working in guides D in said frame, pusharmF, journaled by one end in said crossheads, cam grooves H H havingspringswitch H formed in said frame, arch-frame M, with its ends runningin said cam-grooves, cross-plate M embracing the sides of saidarch-frame and actuated by springs M rods N N jointed ate and connectingsaid crossplate and push-arm, and a lever N pivoted to said cross-plateand said rods, and adapted to be connected to and disconnected from saidarch-frame, whereby said push-arm may be elevated and depressed,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a self propellin motor, a frame mounted upon bearing-wheels orother supports and supporting one or more cylinders E having piston-rodsand cross-heads, the latter Working in guides D in said frame, pusharmF, journaled by one end in said crossheads, cam-groove H H havingspringswitch I-I formed in said frame, arch-frame M, with its endsrunning in said cam-groove and connected by rods N N to said pusharm andby braces M M to said cross-head, spring trip-rod P pivoted to saidframe above and in advance of the line of said camgrooves, and astop-rod M connected to said arch-frame and adapted to strike saidtriprod at the end of the return-stroke of the piston, whereby thearch-frame and push-rod are forced downward, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

I-IENRY'OLINTON HICKS.

Witnesses:

O. M. WooDWARn, H. S. WEBSTER.

